The connection we have with our clothes

My Dorothy skirt.

French fashion designer, Yves Saint Laurent once said, “Fashion fades, style is eternal.” This means your personal preference and connection to your clothing is everything when it comes to your style. This feeling of connection is reason why I had to have this skirt the moment I first laid eyes on it! I got it from a vintage-style boutique that hand-makes all their clothes locally here in Oz (Australia).

The Wizard of Oz

It’s one of the most phenomenal feelings when you feel like a garment or outfit really gets you. The vision of this skirt teleports me to old, happy memories of watching The Wizard of Oz (1939) repeatedly with my mom and brothers. I call it my Dorothy skirt because the blue gingham reminds me of Dorothy's blue gingham dress. And the vibrant colours are as radiant as Munchkin land in Technicolor! The skirt just oozes torrents of playfulness and an unapologetic sense of schmaltz with its wild, fruits of many colours!   

Through happenstance, I've come to realise that pieces like this not only give me so much joy, but they make everyone else smile too. They can be such wonderful conversation starters. For example, it can be an opportunity to talk about slow fashion, locally made clothing, the need to support small businesses or even your favourite classic film!

Crafting your personal style…

Whether your style leans more towards neutral or mellow colours, classic patterns, conservative, edgy, dramatic, creative, vintage or even being exquisitely colourful like mine, your happiness and self-alignment will gain a massive boost when you wear pieces that are truly of your personal preference. This means ignoring the external and internal voices that say, “you can’t wear that”. The question is, does it represent who you are on the inside?

When it comes to choosing what goes in your wardrobe, beware of engaging in groupthink, as it can take you down a path of joining the toxic bandwagons that may cause you to overconsume or even delay your personal growth. This is truly about your individuality, your humanity and even your artistry. Now might be the right moment to look within at what makes you feel a sense of connection, what’s appropriate for you or what gives you joy in order to establish a precedent for your wardrobe and other areas of your life. This is a track that can take self-acceptance and confidence to supersonic levels.

It’s also a well-executed concept amongst those who have been shopping preloved most of their lives. If you’re unsure of what your perfect style is, it helps to learn from people who have mastered the art of ethical fashion, minimalism, vegan fashion and the sustainable lifestyle.

Back to Oz

I watched the 1939 classic so many times when I was younger that I believe it became deeply rooted in my subconscious. It might possibly be the reason why I ended up in this merry land of Oz (Australia) as an adult. Before I came here, indeed I was looking for a place that felt like home (kind of like Dorothy). Moving across the world alone took a ton of courage (like the lion), I had to learn to have an open heart (like the tin man) and of course I had to work smart (with a brain like the lion). I've found these things and blossomed here in the land of Oz. And I also realised I had these resources within all along. I just needed to go through some tough experiences in order to change my perception of myself so that I could see it. What a journey its been!

This is why this skirt is so symbolic and holds such powerful meaning for me. I cherish it and I’ll keep it for a very long time to come. It’s my testament to why fashion fades but style is eternal. Fashion trends are short and fleeting, whilst style has deeper meaning and purpose in your life. Style is something that is likely to stay with you for many years, if not all your life. The way the Wizard of Oz has stayed with me.

With the stories, personal history and memories that make us feel a connection with our clothing, it can be an avenue to less consumption whilst enriching our lives. This connection is good for our wellbeing and the environment. Clothing should not be disposable. And the more we heed these connections, our garments become more than just trends or practical items that get thrown out after minimal use. These connections bring a sense of long-term familiarity and comfort almost like an old friend or family. If we aim to foster connection with our wardrobes, ecologically it would translate to a healthier clothing culture. And very likely an overall reduction in textile waste.  

STYLING DOROTHY

I wore my Dorothy skirt with a periwinkle retro-style preloved t-shirt I found at a charity thrift store. I’ve added my staple tan waist belt. Completed the look with a pair of mint-coloured sneakers.

In the spirit of pattern clash, I've also paired Dorothy with my preloved velvet zebra-print coat.

Pattern clash: velvet zebra-print coat over periwinkle t-shirt and Dorothy skirt of many colours.

Outfit sourced from:

Periwinkle T-shirt - Salvation Army Op Shop

Dorothy Skirt - Gigi’s Fairy Fashion

Tan Belt - Noffs Op Shop

Mint Sneakers - Red Cross Op Shop

Velvet Zebra-Print Coat - Salvation Army Op Shop

♥ Nina Gbor

Instagram: @eco.styles

A sustainable fashion lifestyle

Photo by Brunela Fenalte

For many of us, sustainability has been a lifelong way of being. It’s how we built and maintained our wardrobes from childhood, long before the word sustainability came into the mainstream consciousness.  Except we didn’t call it sustainable. It was just a natural part of life. And still is.

My outfit is an example. In this photo I’m wearing a preloved coat that was a hand-me-down from my beautiful friend Simone, a t-shirt I got from a clothes swap I hosted and a pair of boots I found brand new at an op shop (thrift store). The leggings and vest were new. These sources are always how I got my clothes since I was a child. We repaired things when they were damaged. I wore hand-me-downs from my older siblings and my mother would sometimes buy clothes from the Goodwill and Salvation Army thrift stores for us.

Playing dress up with preloved clothing from multiple fashion eras and multiple cultures has, in a way, helped shape who I’ve become. It helped me find myself and built my career. Being exposed to the plethora of eclectic styles of garments, I had to look within to figure out which style(s) truly represented me.  I’m sceptical as to whether a person can do this successfully if their lifestyle involves following trends.

The problem with our trend culture is that it has exacerbated oversupply and overconsumption to the point where we have created colossal amounts of waste. And fuelled climate change in the process. By design, trends are made to be followed so the uniformity leaves little or no room for personal growth. The other drawback of the trend culture is that it reduces opportunities for individual thinking, diversity and individual preference in some circumstances. And behind the fashion trends, lurks nothing other than greed for financial profits by those who exploit the vain and less cautious side of consumers.  

Photo by Brunela Fenalte.

As I grew up, the hand-me-down culture evolved to running clothes swaps. I still op shop and it too has partially evolved to preloved online shopping. To curate a sustainable wardrobe, I’d suggest using the techniques above that I used: thrifting, swapping, repairing and buying new from ethical labels. However, to permanently establish your sense of style independence, foster lifelong habits for personal growth as well as to develop a mindset that naturally curates a sustainable wardrobe, here are some concepts:

Know thyself

If you don’t already, here’s a good way to start. Begin by listening to your inner voice. Avoid blind acceptance of what is trending for your age, community or amongst your peers. Instead, be intuitive about it. This is based on doing what’s appropriate for you. No two individuals are the same. And there is no beauty in imitation. Imitation can hamper your personal growth and minimise your potential. So, embrace and amplify who you really are.

Express yourself

Your inner self should be given expression and life when it comes to your wardrobe. Your style should correspond with your own nature i.e. reflect the person on the inside. Your values, preferences, personality, and soul should shine through. This will shatter stereotypes around you because your re-emerging individuality carries with it so much power.

Style your yourself to impress yourself

Let your personal taste alone be the deciding factor for what goes into your wardrobe, not trends. This way, you’ll experience a kind of magic where your style will adapt itself to your true nature. This can really make you feel whole and bring exhilaration to your environment. Not the other way round. What makes you happy? What pieces make you feel in alignment with your inner self? What makes you shine? Think about colours, patterns and styles that you feel drawn to. Think about things like fashion eras before your time. An example is a 26-year old man in the U.K. named Zack Pinsent who only wears clothes designed in the authentic style of the 1680s to 1920s clothing eras. This might be unrealistic for your everyday life if you’re into these styles, but you can always take pieces from theses eras and mix with more practical pieces to make it your own personal style.

Photo of Zack Pinsent. Photo courtesy Zack Pinsent

True beauty

With these concepts, a true sense of beauty arises that can become a strong support in your personal development. It frees you and makes you independent! It can bring so much balance and clarity to your life. In addition, you begin to attract your tribe because you’re declaring and living who you are. And like-minded people are drawn to each other.

If you adopt these concepts, sustainable clothing can more easily become a way of life. By default, you might keep your beloved wardrobe pieces far longer, because you’re buying what is truly best for you. Therefore, making your wardrobe far more sustainable. And you might experience a deeper sense of alignment with self and your environment.

STYLING

Far too often, winter clothes are made of neutral and dark tones. So, I opt for bright colours to brighten up the cold winter days. My hack? Wear a colourful t-shirt over long sleeve thermal top, a pair of leggings, a long top to cover the top section of my leggings and a cool pair of knee-high boots. Topped off the look with this gorgeous red patterned coat!

Styling tip: You can keep feeling that summer vibe by using your summer clothes in winter. Hack the summer outfit by simply wearing thermals underneath: a long sleeve t-shirt or leggings.

♥ Nina Gbor

On trimming our fashion carbon footprint and climate change

Preloved outfit. All photos by Pepper Street Photography.

Did you know that clothing in the landfill creates over three times its own weight in CO2 greenhouse gas emissions? It’s not surprising that altogether fashion and textiles account for 10% of climate change. Earlier this year I wrote a lengthy piece detailing fashion’s impact on climate change and how we can all work towards achieving net-zero emissions. Of course our emissions come from other aspects of life beyond just clothing. In taking action to reduce our carbon emissions, it’s essential to look at other areas like food and fossil fuels. A carbon footprint calculator makes it simple for individuals and brands to calculate their carbon footprint in multiple areas so that we know where and how to take the best action.

65% of all new clothing ends up in landfill within the first year of manufacture. Poor design, lack of durability and consumer waste are in part to blame when it comes to fast fashion’s contribution of textile waste to landfill. Its aim has been to manufacture as much as possible, as quick as possible in a conveyor belt style. So its not surprising that the products are intended and made to be disposable. For this reason, fast fashion apparel is mostly non-durable. From cheap, poor-quality synthetic fabrics to poor tailoring to fast-fading colours and buttons falling off, majority of it ends up in landfill quicker than durable garments.

How brands can reduce their carbon footprint

By doubling the life of clothing from just one to two years, we can help reduce emissions from clothing manufacture and disposal by as much as 24%. Fashion brands can support this effort by making little changes in the design and manufacture processes to make clothing far more durable i.e. resistant to damage and wear. Fast fashion brands can also take a stance to produce far less, even if it means reduction in their profits. The benefit to the environment will be enormous and priceless.

How consumers can reduce their carbon footprint

Consumers also have a role to play in this. Extending the life of clothes by just nine extra months of active use would reduce carbon, water and waste footprints by around 20-30% each. Even though some brands safeguard against garment failure, some people dispose of clothing after several years because it is no longer to their taste and because they no longer fit. Here, they can sell or donate them. When buying new garments, opt for slow and ethical fashion labels. Perhaps consider purchasing less fast fashion. It helps garment workers when we insist that fast fashion brands not only produce durable garments but also pay liveable wages to garment workers. To extend the life of clothing, you can choose preloved (secondhand) through clothes swaps, preloved markets and thrift stores.

Consumers can also extend the life of their entire wardrobe through RESTYLING. This is the process of pairing a garment with another item and/or accessories that you wouldn’t typically wear with it. This remixing and re-matching process creates new and different outfit combinations that you can use for multiple types of casual events and special occasions, instead of buying a brand new outfit for each occasion. Restyling allows you to extend your wardrobe far longer than you typically would because you’re re-using what you already have, in a variety of creative ways. Case in point is my red ball gown skirt below which is one that might only get worn to a formal event with an equally formal top and shoes. Wearing it with a casual top and sneakers allows me to use it more frequently.

STYLING

I invite you to try this super easy restyling hack within your wardrobe. You can use a skirt or dress pants. This preloved outfit is a juxtaposition between a super casual top and a formal skirt. This retro, red mid-length skirt is typically one that might sit in the back of your closet until a special occasion rolls round. By pairing it with a super casual t-shirt, it gets more active and regular use.

I took it a little further by interchanging leopard-print stilettos with my Etiko fairtrade vegan sneakers. Each shoe gives a different vibe and makes the outfit appropriate for different locations and events based on the shoe.

Outfit sourced from:

White top – The Greenshed Underground Op Shop

Red Retro Perri Cutten skirt – Second Mode Luxury Preloved Store

Etiko Vegan Sneakers - Etiko

Leopard-print Stilettos – My wardrobe

♥ Nina Gbor

References:

1. https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/122127080/fashion-retailers-should-take-responsibility-for-their-own-clothing-waste-project-proposes

2. http://www.wrap.org.uk/content/extending-life-clothes

How eccentric is your style?

How eccentric is your style? The fear of being clowned for wearing something most people wouldn't wear stops many from reaching their potential.

I grew up moving around a lot and never really fitting in anywhere (and still don't). But it's great because it forced me to figure out how I could shape the world around me so that I could feel comfortable to navigate through life as myself. As opposed to say, receding into a false projection of someone most people would find more acceptable (whatever that looks like).

This quest taught me to be super comfortable with all my weirdness and to sit comfortably in my own skin and in my awkwardness. I'll let you in on a little secret of how I grew the courage to wear eccentric, unusual styles. And to be different in ways that make people accept you for who you are: with every new person, job or community, etc, start off with expressing that different version of yourself. They'll likely accept your uniqueness straight away and leave it at that. But it must be authentically you and not a false portrayal.

As humans, we're all multi-dimensional. None of us is just one thing. When we begin to evolve or express different parts of ourselves, sometimes people within our communities judge us because we've stepped outside of their comfort zone. That's why they clown us. It takes a lot of courage to stay the new course. You have to decide if you want the freedom to express yourself and henceforth live life on your own terms OR if you're going to cower into a life of suppression. To me, the latter choice doesn't feel like a life at all. But this is a decision of true strength that, at some point(s) in our lives, each one of us must make.

P.S. In addition to style, you can apply this concept to other areas of your life too. "Nothing bold or magnificent is built from fear." (Quote from BBC series, 'The Collection').

STYLING

This skirt is definitely the feature piece of this outfit. I found this late 1960s vintage skirt on a sunny September afternoon in 2017 at an outdoor preloved market. Wearing pink with yellow, red, green and blue is true to block colour styling. In the spirit of eccentricity, it’s feel free to style yourself in the ways that make you happy.

Outfit sourced from:

Pink top - Vinnies Op Shop

Multicolour Vintage Skirt - Suitcase Rummage Preloved Market

Leopard-print Stilettos - Staple from my wardrobe

♥ Nina Gbor

Instagram: @eco.styles

Developing your individual style like the legendary style icon and hero, Audrey Hepburn!

Audrey Hepburn in the 1957 classic film, Funny Face, wearing a red dress designed by Givenchy.

This week would have been the 91st birthday of the greatest style icon the world has ever known, Audrey Hepburn. Her elegant, graceful, timeless, captivating style is still revered to this day. Not only was she a screen legend in Hollywood’s Golden Age, she was also a hero. Her empathy, compassion and kindness made her travel the world to help children in the poorest countries get access to food, healthcare, clean water. Audrey Hepburn’s iconic status goes beyond just physical beauty and gorgeous dresses. Her philanthropy changed the lives of many children in the world.

Audrey Hepburn as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

She herself had faced starvation and undernourishment as a child in Holland in the 1940s during world war II. So, she knew what it was like. This made her determined to help as many children as possible. She was appointed UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1988 and awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1993. Audrey Hepburn also received the United States’ Presidential Medal of Freedom in December 1992.

Hollywood and style legacy

What made Audrey a true style icon was her individuality. She disrupted Hollywood in the 1950s, with a unique look, her own sense of style and torrents of gracefulness and kindness. This was at a time when women in Hollywood were mostly being cast as the sexy, blonde bombshell. In 1954 she won an Oscar for Best Actress with the film, Roman Holiday (1953). Many of her most iconic ensembles can be seen in her films like Sabrina (1954), Funny Face (1957) and of course, Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961). I did a photo shoot tribute to Audrey’s style in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Check it out here.

In my opinion, the fictional character, Carrie Bradshaw from the hit TV series Sex & The City (1998 - 2004), is the only relatively modern style icon that comes close to Audrey’s legendary status. Again, I believe this is because Carries’s style was very individualised i.e. styled to suit the character’s personality and lifestyle. Moreover, the show’s costume stylist, Patricia Field mixed vintage and modern pieces to create Carrie’s wardrobe. This is what made Carrie’’s style so timeless, unusual and unforgettable.

Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and The City, wearing a vintage style red dress with black polka dots, with a green underlay. Also wearing a black coat with white cuffs and a floral broach at the neck.

Individual style

In short, individual, person style that transcended trends and fashion eras is what made the style of these women so memorable and inspirational to this day. The key to becoming your own style icon, therefore, is to look within. It’s NOT fashion trends. Style should not be uniform across the board with everyone. There’s no beauty in imitation. When we’re following trends, we’re ignoring our own intuition on what’s best for us as individuals. And by accepting these false, external standards, we’re giving up too much of our freedom and individuality. You can become more grounded, intuitive and powerful from following your own individual style. So, forget what the trends are, forget what anyone is telling you should be wearing this season.

How to craft your individual style

1. Know yourself. Think about who you are, what you stand for and what makes you happy. What’s your purpose and mission in life? Let your style be determined by this formation.

2. Use a personal style formula. This is a formula I came up with a few years ago when I was teaching people how to transition to preloved shopping in markets, vintage stores, thrift stores and clothes swaps. Here’s the formula:

Your colour palette (colours that look good on you)

+

Your body shape (cuts and styles that work for your silhouette)

+

Your lifestyle / personality

=

Your Personal Style Formula!

A combination of these three elements will give your style authenticity, timelessness and individuality. Not to mention, iconic in your own right!

♥ Nina Gbor